C-MAR directors face bribery trial

The oil and gas sector looks set to be rocked by allegations of bribery and
corruption after it emerged that five individuals and one of the industry’s
fastest-growing companies are to face trial for “conspiracy to corrupt”.

Update: Following the publication of this article, Ronald Murray was cleared of the charges at Southwark Crown Court on 7 June 2013; Chris Hawdon was cleared on 12 June 2013. C-MAR was also acquitted. Gary Webster was found guilty in a 11-1 majority verdict and given a 12-month jail sentence suspended for 12 months on 10 June 2013. The other two defendants admitted the charges against them - on 16 November 2012 Jeffrey Mountain received a 12-month jail sentence suspended for 24 months and was ordered to serve 250 hours of community service; Kenneth Thomas was jailed for three years and made the subject of a six-year director disqualification order.

C-MAR, a specialist marine servicing company and a member of the Sunday Times Fast Track 100, is accused of conspiring to make and receive corrupt payments.

Five individuals appeared at City of London Magistrates Court yesterday where they were also accused of “conspiring to make and receive corrupt payments” over a five-year period.

The chairman of the £80m turnover international group, Chris Hawdon, 65, appeared in the dock alongside his fellow shareholder and director Ronald Murray, 66, former director Jeffrey Mountain, 48, and two other individuals, Gary Webster, 53, and Kenneth Thomas, 59. A sixth individual, Terry Hall, died on Tuesday.

C-MAR has been charged alongside the individuals. Until recently it was one of the fastest-growing outsourcing companies in the oil and gas sector.